Umbrella



Jan. 16, 1951 c, ATWATER v 2538,55

UMBRELLA Filed June 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 35 Conway Z. Atwaier Jan. 16, 1951 UMBRELLA Filed June 5, 1946 w C. I... ATWATER 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATT Patented Jan. '16., 1951 UMBBELfi-A Conwav L. Atwater, Georgetowm -fionn. Appliea tion l'ufi 15, lsisfsnaiivo'. 676531 'a hiaims. (o1.-is5- -19;5)

l 11 a This invention relatesto an "umbrella. -:One= 'of the objects of this" invention is to provide an umbrella which is simple," thoroughly wpra'cticalg' and durable inase. *Another object 'is .wtO prOVide 'a device -of the above' character which -ma'y e be manufactured from I inexpensive materials with aminimu'm of f iabor costs. Another t-object is to provide--a device -of-the-above char- --acter Which niay be Y folded into a relatively small, flat package. Another object is to provide a deviee 0fthvabovebharacter "WhiCIYIIlEY be assembled for-use w ith" extremeease. Another objeet is to qmovide a-deviceof theabove character --Whichmay be "opened in a minimum -of time. Another object'is"toiprovide-a device of I =the above character which "will be "neat and attractive-inappearance. A further object is to provide-a deviceoftheabove-characterin which the --structuralelements are so disposedas to attaim-a high degree-of strength;- w-i-thoutheavy 5;:

construction. Other cbjects will be in, part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention aecordingly consists in the fea- --tures of construction,-combinations of elerrlents,

and arrangements -ofsparts, all as will be i-lliis-" tratively described herein, and the 'scoifie'of'the application Which Will be indicated in 'the following claims.

:Referring now to the drawings in which is shown one of the various-possible embodiments of v this invention, I

Figure l is a perspective view ofthe umbrella partially unfolded; I FigureiZis a bottom plan View of the umbrelia shown in Figure lass'embled bntbefore the con l nectionof thehandle thereto; 7 I W Figure 3' is a side elevation of the umbrella On an enlai-ged scale,'certain parts being broken away' for purposes of illustration;

-- Eigure 4 is a vertical section on-an enlarged" scale taken on-the line i= ofFigure 2; -Fig ure 5-is a vertical section taken on the dine :55"of-Figu-re l;- and p --Figure 6 is' a vertical'section-onan enlarged I their health. 7 ef this invention to i provide an *"ii-mbrella on maybe reaany car small stores" and which 'v'vill sell' at a iow 'p so that'it willbeavailable" at all times caughtin rainy weather and canfbe thrown away "by them" after it hasserfved its purl'iise.

"Work; generally indicated at" 9 (Figures) which the handle" [2 of the umbrella-assets ably connected. 'The fiaiiiewqrk alsof-incln "four'rib members, {3,14, li'and' l'dwhic *tance in the rain'fwhich' ma -result in *gosny damage to their cloth ean'd' niayialso It is accordingly ariother In'gener'al, the umbrella consists'of a similar "material. "The framework iri'clfids a center section 'lii which has a sup'rlio t hingedly connected to's'ection"l Q tjo permit-t1 h "in to be folded iviththebutside' portionsof cover '20 over "section is to make a relatively s'r'nal'l, fiat package; as'sliown 'inFigure' 1.

a Section mof framework 9 "is made of i-elatively ri'gid'cardboard and has "four wing ortions ma, 1%, l8c,"anii w'd'fo'rnzied en its-four sides by notcliing the edges of section 'l'il', "as

shown in Figure 2. 'The' outer edges'of each'of the wing portions'nre aligned'with'eachof the edges ofsetionl'fl. 'Ribinmbers*l3,' Mfl'fi, and 1 E of the 'framework'are "made of cardboard of the samethickhessas'section l flan'd-are of the same width as wing portions Ma, 153b, me, and

lfldfso that'the longitudin'al edges of each: rib

member are aligned Withthesides of the-Wing portion to'whi'ch tliyare' connected.

' The "hinges l'l', l3, -:s,--and"21 which connect rib members ltfil i, 15,".and [6 to Wing portions *lil'a, lilb, We, and I'M' are preferably-"made of cloth orsirnilar material which is secured bya suitable adhesive to the 'undersurfaces of the opposed ends'of'ach wingportibn and its 'rib member. This permits the rib members to be folded inwardly over "section Ill and also provides'a hinge of 'r'ninimum' thickness.- Torender hinges H, 18, [9;an'd 2l ineffective in order to 'rri'aintain rib members-l3, [4,15, and IBin an extended position insubstantially the same plane as section I 9', four sleeves;generallyir dicatedqat 22', 23, 2i,'and 25, are provided. As each of these sleeves is similar in construction and operation,

the'description will :be limited to the constructian and "operation'ie'if "sleeve '22 (Figures 2, 4, azi'd'5'). v V. @Sleeve 22 ibe-zmad'e from relatlv ly gld cardboard or sheet metal and includes a top 22a, a bottom 22b, and parallel side walls 22c and 22d (Figures 4 and 5). The top and bottom are spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the thickness of rib member is taken together with hinge H, and the distance between side walls 220 and 22d is slightly greater than the width of rib member l3. Thus sleeve 22 when mounted on rib member. l3 may b lid lon tudinally of rib member 13 and wing portion Hla (Figure 2) of section it so that it may either be positioned entirely upon the rib member H3 in the position sleeve 54 occupies in Figure 2, or when rib member I3 is in the same plane as sec tion IE, it may be slid inwardly until its side walls strike the inner ends of the notches Hie and Ill in section Hi. When sleeve 22 is in this position, as shown in Figure 2, it covers hinge l? rendering it inoperative and rigidly holds rib member IS in an extended cover supporting position.

Thus, when it is desired to condition the framework for use, the rib members are moved outwardly until they lie in the same plane as section In, and then the sleeves 22, 23, 2d, and 25 are slid inwardly until they cover the wing portions of section it. At this time the sleeves render the hinges ineffective and rigidly connect the rib members l3, l4, l5, and it to wing portions Illa, Hlb, E30, and ifid. When it is desired to fold the framework, the sleeves 22, 23, 2t, and 25 are slid outwardly until they are positioned entirely on the rib members. At this time the hinges are free to operate and the rib members may be folded over the section it.

The cover is preferably made from a circular sheet of waterproof paper. Section ll] of framework 9 is positioned in its center and is affixed to cover 28 by a suitable adhesive. The edge of cover is folded inwardly on chords which are the same length as the width of section In and each of which is parallel to one of the edges of section iii. The chords onwhich cover portions 26a, 29b, 25c, and 2M are folded are also positioned outwardly from the outer ends of rib members l3, i4, i5, and iii to permit relative movement between the rib members and cover 20 for purposes to be more fully disclosed hereinafter. Each of cover portions 25a, 23b, 28c, and 28d is preferably stapled together by staples 35 on opposite sides of rib members l3, l4, l5, and

6 to form pockets similar to pocket 35! (Figure 4) in which the outer ends of the rib members are positioned.

Cover 2E3 is preferably folded on lines aligned with the edges of section if the two portions positioned outwardly from lines 3! and 32 (Figure 2) being folded inwardly first and then the other two portions 33 and 3 (Figure 1) are folded on top of the first-mentioned portions. When the folding portions of cover 26 are folded inwardly, the outer end of each of rib members 43, id, 55, and it moves outwardly toward the outer end of the pocket in which is positioned. This is permitted because of the depth of the pockets and is caused by the fact that the hinges are positioned on the underside of the rib members and the wing portions of section it]. Thus, the cover must fold ove both section it and the rib members, and the distance each rib member moves outwardly is determined by the length of these folds.

The support 5 l for handle 52 is preferably made of wood or similar material is secured to the center of section it by a suitable adhesive.

Ithas a hole 36 therein (Figures 2 and 6), the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of handle l2. Thus, to connect handle 12 to support ll, one of its ends is forced into hole 36 and a secure connection is formed because of the resiliency of the wood. from which handle l2 and support I! are formed. When the umbrella is folded, handle i2 i positioned in a groove 31 cut diagonally across support H, thus permitting a handle of maximum length to be kept in the folded umbrella without substantially increasing the thickness of the package the umbrella forms when folded.

Thus, an umbrella has been disclosed which may be folded into a compact and neat package of a type which may be readily stocked in any newsstand or small store. When it is desired to use the umbrella, the user simply unfolds the four folding portions of the cover, slides sleeves 22, 23, 24, and 25 inwardly and places one end of handle l2 in hole 36. The umbrella is then ready for use. If it is desirable to take down the umbrella in a cab, subway, or building, by simply sliding the sleeves 22, 23, 24, and 25 outwardly and replacing the handle l2 ingroove 31, the user may refold the umbrella into a package that may be readily carried. It will be'noted that the cover 20 isso constructed that it completely covers the framework of the umbrella and thus protects both the user and the umbrella itself from the rain.

It will thus be seen that a practical and emcient umbrella has been disclosed in which the several objects hereinabove mentioned, as well as many others, are successfully accomplished.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth 'or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a device of the type described; in combination, a cover, a framework,- said framework including a substantially fiat relatively rigid center section and. four, wide, flat rib members connected to the edges of said center section, the width of said center section being at least half the width of said cover, said cover being foldable over said center section along the edges thereof to form a substantiall square flat package, means connecting said ribs to said cover,

means connecting said cover to said square center section, means to support said rib members in cover supporting position,- and a handle detachably connected to said center section.

2. In a device of the type described, in combination, a cover, a framework, said framework including a substantially square, flat, relatively rigid center section and a plurality of rib members, said center section being greater in width than the length of said rib members, said cover being connected to said center section, said rib .members being hingedly connected to'said cenincluding a substantially flat relatively rigid center section and a plurality of rib members, said cover being connected to said fiat center section, said rib members being hingedly connected to said center section, means forming pockets at the outer edges of said cover, the outer ends of said rib members being positioned in said pockets, a plurality of members slidably mounted on said rib members, said slidably mounted members being manually adjustable to ,block the action of the rib member hinges and hold the rib members in an extended position, and a handle detachably connected to said center section.

4. In a device of the type described, in combination, a cover made of waterproof paper, a framework, said framework including a substantially fiat relatively rigid center section made of cardboard and a plurality of cardboard rib members, said rib members being hingedly connected to said center section, means to support said rib members in an extended position, said cover and rib members being foldable over the center section of said framework, and a handle detachably connected to said center section.

5. In a device of the type described, in combination, a substantially circular cover made of waterproof paper, a framework, said framework including a substantially flat relatively rigid square center section made of cardboard and a plurality of rib members hingedly connected to said center section and also made of cardboard, said cover including portions folded inwardly to cover the outer ends of said rib members to form pockets within which the outer ends of said rib members are positioned, means to hold said rib members in extended position by blocking the action of said hinges, and a handle detachably connected to said center section.

6. In a device of the type described, in combination, a cover, a framework, said'framework including a substantially fiat, relatively rigid, square center section and four rib members, each rib member being substantially flat, of substantial breadth, and being hingedly connected to an edge of said center section, means forming tion, means to support said rib members in cover supporting position, means slidably connecting said rib members to said cover, and a handle detachably connected to said center section.

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pockets at the outer edge of said cover member 8. In a device of the type described, in combination, a cover substantially circular in shape,

a framework, said framework including a flat, square, relatively rigid center section, the diameter of which is at least half the diameter of said cover when said cover is in open position and four rib members hingedly connected to the centers of the four sides of said center section, said rib members lying in substantially the same plane as said center section when in an open position and being foldable over said center section with said cover to form a substantially flat package, means to support said rib members in cover supporting position, a handle, and means detachably mounting said handle on said center section.

9. In a device of the type described, in combination, a cover substantially circular in shape, a framework, said framework including a fiat, relatively rigid center section, a plurality of flat, relatively rigid rib members, said center section being of greater width than the length of said rib members, said rib members being mounted on said center section and being adjustable to support the outer portions of said cover, means connecting said cover to said center section, said rib members lying in substantially the same plane as said cover when in cover-supporting position and in a plane substantially parallel to said center section when in folded position, means to support said rib members in cover supporting position, and a handle detachably connected to said center section, said ribs and cover being foldable over said center section along its edges to form a flat package having a width slightly greater than the width of said center section.

CONWAY L. ATWATER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,718,417 Greenberg -Q. June 25, 1929 1,783,972 Moses D60. 9, 1930 

